Art takes to Cape Town streets on Sunday

Visitors to downtown Cape Town on Sunday will see the creator of this work, Wayne BKS, at work in the street. Photo: ANA.

Artists Wayne BKS and Mohamed “Mo” Hassan are set to create an artwork on a large sheet of plastic stretched between two lamp-posts.

In a taste of what is to come in February at Cape Town’s newest art festival, two artists will on Sunday put on a live “performance”, making a 7m wide work of art in the downtown area.

Bringing art out of the hushed and hallowed spaces of galleries, Wayne BKS, who goes by the aliases Conform and Skiet, and Mohamed “Mo” Hassan, will create an artwork on a large sheet of plastic stretched between two lamp-posts.

They will be hoping that neither the wind, sun, nor the public glare is too harsh.

But the illustrators and artists are also graffiti artists, so are used to being criticised and misunderstood.

But that will soon change if the team at Baz Art, the NGO that is launching South Africa’s first International Public Art Festival next month, have their way.

The NGO seeks to bring street art into the mainstream and to use it to improve people’s lives.

In addition to a festival dedicated to teaching, creating and showcasing street art, Baz Art is launching a variety of programmes, from art classes for children to beautifying neighbourhoods with large, well-maintained murals and helping entrepreneurs set up spin-off businesses such as food stalls, galleries or local tours.

The live graffiti painting will take place as part of Open Streets City Centre, which will see Bree and Longmarket streets closed to motorised traffic for the day on Sunday.